Tag: Carolina Panthers

Panthers work out four kickers after Joey Slye’s rough day vs. Saints

Carolina Panthers kicker Joey Slye had a bad day against the New Orleans Saints, causing Carolina to try out free agents like Kai Forbath.

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The New Orleans Saints defeated the Carolina Panthers after some spotty kicking from Panthers specialist Joey Slye last Sunday, and the team is taking steps to find a better answer at the position, according to a report from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Slye missed two extra point tries and a 28-yard field goal against the Saints in a game Carolina lost 34-31, dropping them to 5-6 on the season.

Ironically, Carolina’s free agent tryouts included former Saints kicker Kai Forbath, who appeared in 10 games for New Orleans back in 2015. Forbath went 9-for-13 on field goal tries and 33-for-34 on extra point attempts that season before stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Other kickers who worked out for Carolina per Wilson’s report were Elliott Fry (66-of-88 on field goals in 51 games at South Carolina, but no extensive NFL experience), Greg Joseph (17-of-20 in 14 games with the Cleveland Browns last year), and Nick Rose (11-of-14 in 10 games for two teams from 2017 to 2018).

The Panthers haven’t made any moves yet beyond adding Joseph to their practice squad, but the Saints will see whoever gets the starting nod next when they fly out to Charlotte in the regular season finale on Dec. 29.

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NFL playoff picture: Saints can clinch NFC South, postseason berth

The New Orleans Saints can claim their place in the NFL playoff picture with a win over the Atlanta Falcons, which would win the NFC South.

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There’s going to be a lot on the line when the New Orleans Saints visit the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football. With a win, the Saints can clinch their third straight NFC South crown; with a loss, it will take some help for them to exit Week 13 with a division title, but it’s still possible.

Beyond bragging rights, winning the NFC South gives the Saints a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. They’re the only team that can earn its place in the postseason tournament with a win this week, though the San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots can each punch their ticket if a few other things go their way.

Here are the possible playoff scenarios the NFL confirmed Tuesday:

How the Saints can clinch the NFC South

Simply beating the Falcons on Thanksgiving night will be enough for New Orleans. But if they come up short, a loss or tie by the Carolina Panthers (who play the Washington Redskins on Sunday) would allow the Saints to back into a division win.

How the 49ers can clinch a playoff berth

Things are more complicated for San Francisco. They’re one of the two hottest teams in the NFL right now, and they have to compete with the other candidate (the Baltimore Ravens) on the road on Sunday. If the 49ers beat or tie with Lamar Jackson, Mark Ingram, and the Ravens they’ll have to check into the Los Angeles Rams’ road game with the Arizona Cardinals. If San Francisco wins or ties, it’ll take a Rams tie or loss to get them into the playoffs this week.

How the Patriots can clinch the playoff berth

Meanwhile in the AFC, New England has to bag a road win against this week’s opponent: Deshaun Watson and the cornered Houston Texans. If they can do that, all eyes turn to the Pittsburgh Steelers (who are hosting the Cleveland Browns), Oakland Raiders (visiting the Kansas City Chiefs), and Indianapolis Colts (versus the Tennessee Titans). If either of those two first two teams lose and the Patriots win, New England clinches a playoff berth.

However, if the Patriots tie with the Texans, it’ll take one of several different combinations to punch their ticket. It’s complicated, so we’ve broken each scenario down below:

  • Raiders loss and Steelers loss
  • Raiders loss and Colts loss
  • Steelers loss and Colts loss

So those are somewhat long odds. As long as the Saints can handle their business against Atlanta on Thursday, they and their fans can spend the long holiday weekend kicked back and relaxed, watching lesser teams fight and scrap their way into the postseason.

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Panthers Highlights: The best of Christian McCaffrey vs. Saints Week 12

Panthers Highlights: The best of Christian McCaffrey vs. Saints Week 12

The Panthers got another sensational performance from Christian McCaffrey on Sunday. McCaffrey’s play this season has made him the unquestionable best running back in the NFL. Watch the best of No. 22 from this week’s matchup with the Saints.

For the year, McCaffrey has totaled 1,123 yards and 12 touchdowns on 221 carries. He leads the league averaging 102.1 rushing yards per game. As a receiver, he’s posted another 586 yards and four more scores.

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NFL power rankings, Week 13: Saints tumble after too-close win vs. Panthers

The New Orleans Saints still can’t win convincingly enough for a top spot in NFL power rankings, trailing teams like the Seattle Seahawks.

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Week 12 was a little more dramatic than it should have been for the New Orleans Saints, in which a series of penalties and mistakes allowed the Carolina Panthers to rally back from a late-game 13-point deficit. While the Saints did win the day on a last-second Wil Lutz field goal, that sloppy execution cost them in the latest NFL power rankings from Doug Farrar over at Touchdown Wire.

Requiring the opposing team’s kicker to miss a chip-shot field goal and two extra point tries to escape with a win, especially against a team that scored just three points a week earlier. It caused the Saints to tumble from third-place to fifth-best:

The Saints kept up with the Seahawks and just behind the 49ers in an NFC race that seems increasingly low on oxygen at the top. It took more than one might expect for New Orleans to beat the Panthers, 37-34, in a last-second thriller. Carolina overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter with a 4-yard Christian McCaffrey run and a 2-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Allen to D.J. Moore (who also caught passes of 51 and 52 yards) to tie the game, but the Panthers’ inability to push it in from the Saints’ 3-yard line on their final drive, and Joey Slye’s missed field goal with 2:00 left in the game, set things up for New Orleans’ definitive drive. That Drew Brees’ team had the better kicker in Will Lutz was the deciding factor in a game that was messier than Sean Payton wanted it to be. Payton’s team finished with 12 penalties for 123 yards, including a highly ironic pass-interference call, and a pass defense that was vulnerable without cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) allowed Allen to look like a franchise quarterback. The Saints have little time to recover from this one, as they play in Atlanta on Thanksgiving.

The teams ahead of the Saints include the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and Baltimore Ravens. While the Saints have stacked plenty of wins this season, they have some clear areas of instability they need to iron out before the playoffs, and time is starting to run out with just five games left in the regular season. New Orleans has proven it can beat any opponent on any field in the league, but it would be great if they can win a little more convincingly down the stretch.

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NFC playoff picture: Bubble teams like the Rams are running out of time

Here’s an updated look at the NFC playoff picture after Week 12.

There’s still five weeks left to play in the NFL’s 2019 regular season. We already have a good idea who’s going to be in the postseason, though.

Here’s an updated look at the NFC playoff picture after Week 12.

Playoff teams

1. San Francisco 49ers (10-1)
2. New Orleans Saints (9-2)
3. Green Bay Packers (8-3)
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-5)
5. Seattle Seahawks (9-2)
6. Minnesota Vikings (8-3)

Still in the race

7. Los Angeles Rams (6-5)
8. Chicago Bears (5-6)
9. Philadelphia Eagles (5-6)
10. Carolina Panthers (5-6)

The gap between the teams that are currently in line for a playoff spot and those that are trying to work their way in is significant. LA’s mortifying loss to the Ravens on Monday night might have made it impossible for them to catch up with Seattle and Minnesota for a wild card spot.

If there’s going to be any change, Dallas could end up losing the NFC East race to the Eagles, which would give Philly the No. 4 seed. Other than that, it’s hard to see any of the other five playoff teams dropping out at this point. The Seahawks have been winning a lot of close games and are due for some regression. It hasn’t happened yet, though. Meanwhile, the Vikings have a pretty cushy schedule to close out the year.

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Panthers open 9.5-point favorites vs. Redskins for Week 13 matchup

According to BetMGM, the Panthers are 9.5-point favorites this time around as they prepare to host the Redskins this week.

The Carolina Panthers couldn’t finish their epic comeback against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. However, nobody expected them to even compete considering they were 9.5-point underdogs going into the game. When you’re reeling from an emotional loss, a bit of home-cooking against a bad team can be just what the doctor ordered.

According to BetMGM, the Panthers are 9.5-point favorites this time around as they prepare to host the Redskins this week.

Washington remains a dysfunctional mess under the leadership of Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen, who alienated their best player in left tackle Trent Williams in the worst kind of way and then failed to deal him at the trade deadline. Williams won’t be suiting up for the Redskins again and it’s hard to blame him given the circumstances. This disaster is typical of a franchise that’s been floundering ever since RGIII’s knee injury in the 2012 playoffs.

As pathetic as they look, every NFL team is a threat if they’re not taken seriously. They are also coming off their second win of the season on Sunday against a Matthew Stafford-less Lions team.

There’s not a ton of history between these teams. They’ve met 14 times, with Washington taking eight, including the last one in October 2018. That team had Alex Smith at quarterback, though. Dwayne Haskins has time to prove he’s one of the top QBs in his class, but he’s gotten off to a rough start – throwing three times as many interceptions (six) as touchdowns (two).

Anything but a dominant win for Carolina this week should be considered a disappointment.

[Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.]

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Panthers come in at No. 15 in Week 13 power rankings

Doug Farrar at Touchdown Wire has Carolina at No. 15 in this week’s power rankings.

The Panthers came up just short against the Saints on Sunday. An upset win would have no doubt given them a big boost in our power rankings. Taking a Super Bowl contender down to the wire is commendable, though. Thanks to their gutsy showing in New Orleans, they actually moved up a spot.

Doug Farrar at Touchdown Wire has Carolina at No. 15 in this week’s power rankings.

“The Panthers did enough to upset the Saints — they really did. Kyle Allen completed 23 of 36 passes for 256 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. . . It was a heartbreaker for the Panthers, but they have to be encouraged by Allen’s development and the knowledge that through most of the game, they were able to hang with a team that appeared to be much better on paper.”

Indeed.

If nothing else, Allen has proven he’s about as capable as any other backup quarterback in the league these last few months. He may yet develop into a legitimate starter if he can consistently avoid turnovers and show the same poise he has against the Saints twice now.

It won’t help them in the standings any, but Sunday’s loss proved this team has enough talent to compete with the best in the NFL. A change of leadership at the top might be needed for them to reach their full potential, though.

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Report: Panthers fear DT Dontari Poe tore his quad vs. Saints

According to Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, it’s feared that Poe tore his quad, which would put him out for the rest of the season.

Panthers defensive tackle Dontari Poe suffered what appeared to be a serious injury in the second quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Saints. According to Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, it’s feared that Poe tore his quad, which would put him out for the rest of the season. He will undergo an MRI to confirm.

Carolina came into this year with as much interior defensive line depth as any team in the league. Injuries have depleted the group, though. Superstar Kawann Short only played two games early on before he was put on the injured reserve list with a shoulder issue.

While the Panthers still have solid DTs on the roster like Gerald McCoy, Vernon Butler and Kyle Love, none of them are really suited to take over for Poe at nose tackle. So, expect the team to pick somebody up this week if Poe is indeed done for the year.

Looking ahead, Poe has one year left on his contract. Carolina can save $10 million in cap room by cutting him before June 1, so there’s a decent chance we have seen him play his last game in a Panthers uniform.

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Saints snap counts vs. Panthers: Defense runs 76 plays too many

The New Orleans Saints defense logged 76 snaps against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12, tying for their second-most of the 2019 season.

The New Orleans Saints were lucky to escape their Week 12 game against the Carolina Panthers with a win, thanks to some awful kicking by Carolina and a number of sloppy Saints penalties. There are some questions that need answering when reviewing the week’s snap counts, so let’s get to it.

Offensive backfield

  • QB Drew Brees, 65 (98%)
  • RB Alvin Kamara, 44 (67%)
  • RB Latavius Murray, 26 (39%)
  • QB Taysom Hill, 7 (11%)

On the surface, Murray’s snap count is unremarkable. He’s averaged 28.5 snaps per game this year, but the Saints didn’t give him enough touches compared to his time on the field. He received just seven carries but averaged more than nine yards per attempt on them, even scoring the game’s opening touchdown run. For whatever reason, Saints coach Sean Payton was determined to remain pass-heavy down the stretch and put Kamara in some tough spots in short-yardage situations. Hill’s seven snaps on offense were his fewest total since Week 4’s game with the Dallas Cowboys, when he came in on just six plays. It’s possible that the absence of fullback Zach Line (knee injury) and the exit of left tackle Terron Armstead (high-ankle sprain) forced Payton’s hand into a pass-heavy game script.

Skills positions

  • WR Michael Thomas, 58 (88%)
  • WR Tre’Quan Smith, 47 (71%)
  • WR Ted Ginn Jr., 39 (59%)
  • TE Jared Cook, 38 (58%)
  • TE Josh Hill, 31 (47%)
  • TE Jason Vander Laan, 16 (24%)
  • WR Krishawn Hogan, 15 (23%)

Vander Laan was called up from the practice squad and featured on the opening drive as an in-line blocker at tight end, throwing the key block that freed up Murray’s long touchdown run. But the Saints sidelined him as the game wore on and their offense evolved into a pass-first approach, which was puzzling. It’s even more troubling considering Smith and Ginn were targeted eight times but turned in just three targets for 51 yards, with each player dropping passes that should have been big gains. The Saints need better personnel at wide receiver, but they may be too deep in the season to find it now.

Offensive line

  • C Erik McCoy, 66 (100%)
  • G Larry Warford, 66 (100%)
  • G Nick Easton, 66 (100%)
  • T Ryan Ramczyk, 66 (100%)
  • G/T Patrick Omameh, 56 (85%)
  • G/C Will Clapp, 10 (15%)
  • T Terron Armstead, 10 (15%)

Credit to Omameh for stepping in early and holding his own at an unfamiliar position; he’s started full seasons during his six-year NFL career, but rarely played left tackle — his previous stops came at left and right guard. Whether the Saints will trust him to hold it down full-time until Armstead can return from his ankle injury remains to be seen. Clapp filled in for Andrus Peat at left guard in a pinch but the Saints went with Easton as his full-time replacement, and it’s worked out so far. McCoy had some rookie mistakes (failing to snap the ball on time at one point, drawing a delay of game penalty) but on the whole he’s made a big, positive impact.

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Ron Rivera says Panthers will consider kicker tryouts this week

Panthers kicker Joey Slye had the worst game of his young career on Sunday against the Saints.

Panthers kicker Joey Slye had the worst game of his young career on Sunday against the Saints. He missed two extra point attempts and then a 28-yard field goal at the two-minute warning that might have changed the end result.

Now, coach Ron Rivera says the team will consider bringing in some kickers to tryout this week, per Steve Reed of the Associated Press.

Slye is now 19/26 on the season on his field goal attempts. That’s just 73.1%. He’s also only made just 22 of 26 extra point kicks (84.6%).

Kicker isn’t Carolina’s only problem, though.

Defensive tackle Dontari Poe and left guard Greg Van Roten both suffered what appeared to be serious injuries in Sunday’s game. Van Roten isn’t terribly difficult to replace, but there’s no ready-made second nose tackle on the roster, so there’s a good chance they’ll be hitting up the free agent market in the coming days to address that.

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